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Loading...Distance Running: Meditation in Motion
- Becky Striepe
- July 19, 2011
- 4:05 pm
- 21 comments
Distance running pushes more than just your body. To really enjoy a long run, you have to shut off nagging thoughts and just go.
If you follow me on Facebook, you’ve probably seen me talking about marathon training and the accompanying long weekend runs. My running partner and I have been training for a couple of months now for a marathon that he’s running in October. I’m not planning to run the marathon, but I jumped at the chance to train with him, just to see how far I could push myself, distance-wise.
Distance Running: Marathon Training
We’ve been following Hal Higdon’s marathon training regimen, which includes shorter runs during the week and a long run every weekend. You gradually up your mileage, and the longest run you do is 20 miles towards the end of your training schedule. If you check out the schedule, you’ll see that the weekend runs give you “break weeks” where you don’t run as far followed by a week where your mileage jumps up considerably.
The night before our first big jump in mileage, I had nightmares about it, but after we’d finished our nine mile run, I felt amazing! Exhausted, relaxed, and centered. Part of that feeling was from the way you push your body when you’re distance running, but part of it was from the mental effects of hitting the road.
What I’ve learned from marathon training is that distance running isn’t all about physical fitness. Of course, your body needs training to handle a 10, 15, or 26 mile run, but the real struggle when we add distance isn’t so much physical as mental. Distance running is about quieting your mind and falling into your pace, your stride, and your breath.
Next>> Quieting Your Mind to Run the Distance
Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by Lululemon Athletica
Read more: Fitness, Health, Mental Wellness, distance running, exercise, Fitness, health, heart health, marathon training, meditation
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Becky Striepe
Becky Striepe is a freelance writer and vegan crafter living in Atlanta, Georgia. Her life’s mission is to make green crafting and vegan food accessible to everyone! Like this article? You can follow Becky on Twitter or find her on Facebook!
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people are talking
Fascinating thanks 4 the post.
Wish I had that kind of time!
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21 comments
+ add your ownI am not a big runner or like to run, period! but.......... just like a month ago, I;ve decided to run just to get condition cause my thinking is to do rock climbing.... oh boy! I suffer, yes I suffer. I can do 50 or 60 miles on my bicycle or hike for 7 hrs. but running ha ha maybe "if" lucky 15 min.
Anyhow..... I just need to focus and breath and not give up, cause running is really good for you! Thanks for the tips.
Thanks for the article.
Great article. I've never had a run after which I didn't feel better. It has a way of really clearing the mind.
For me, the first couple miles of a long run are for getting all systems in sync: feet, check; arms, check; breathing, check. At mile three or so, all the parts have found a comfortable rhythm and my brain checks out.
Some people claim they use running as a time to think through problems or to connect with creativity. My runs allow me to leave conscious thought behind, a kind of time travel. My feet just move in the now until I realize the time has flown and I'm nearly home.
Those couple hours of living in the absolute now give me the strength and peace to face the craziness of the rest of the day.
Mychael - That makes a lot of sense! I'm going to try it.
ty
I have been doing the double inhale/exhale ever since I started running at the beginning of this year. I was told and always thought it was wrong! But I couldn't help it! I actually tried to stop doing it. I was even made fun of when I told a friend about it. Thank you so much for this article, I feel much better about my "weird" breathing now.
I do long runs a lot, and my step/breath pattern is in threes. That way I don't feel like I'm favoring one side or the other with an inhale. For instance; left foot strikes and I inhale sharply through my nose, followed by an exhale from my mouth on the next right/left...then the next inhale is on the right foot, etc. Seems strange to explain but it feels much more balanced to me.
At my age plain walking would do.
Perfect timing - I am training for a marathon this November (my third but the last two were 20+ years ago!)(I am 58) and I intend to try this breath/step idea this weekend with my long run. Thanks!!!!
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